Actions speak louder than words: Tournament angling as an avenue to promote best practice for pelagic shark fishing

Social research can aid in understanding the behaviour of the general public or stakeholders towards natural resources. In the case of recreational fishing, social research aids in integrating anglers' knowledge and attitudes into management frameworks to increase the likelihood of the uptake of new management regulations. Tournament anglers were surveyed at game fishing competitions throughout New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia between February 2012 and May 2013 to investigate their general beliefs around sharks and their behaviours when targeting pelagic sharks. Over half (55%) of the anglers interviewed practised catch and release of pelagic sharks. Of those, almost all (98%) asserted that they attempt to release sharks in good condition, but a large percentage of anglers (48%) did not use circle hooks that have been shown to increase post-release survival. Results showing some concordance between angler's beliefs and behaviours when targeting pelagic sharks suggest that anglers are cognisant of the functional role of sharks in the ecosystem and would be open to recommendations ensuring the long-term sustainability of recreational fisheries targeting pelagic sharks.     

Stated preferences for size and bag limits of Alaska charter boat anglers

Over the last several years, significant regulatory changes related to Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis have occurred in the for-hire recreational charter boat fishing sector in Alaska. In addition to limited entry restrictions and adoption of a catch sharing plan that provides a formal means of determining allocation between the commercial and charter boat fishing sectors, more restrictive harvest regulations were placed on anglers fishing from charter boats. This article provides insights into how the value anglers place on charter boat fishing is affected by these regulations, principally bag and size limits. Such information is helpful in assessing the trade-offs in economic benefits associated with different regulatory tools used to manage angler harvest levels. Stated preference choice experiment data from a 2012 survey are analyzed using a panel rank-ordered mixed logit model to estimate the economic value, or willingness to pay (WTP), non-resident anglers place on saltwater charter boat fishing trips in Alaska and to assess how changes in characteristics of fishing trips, particularly harvest restrictions related to Pacific halibut, affect this value. The model specification accounts for a wide array of size and bag limit restrictions that have been recently implemented or are under consideration by Pacific halibut fishery managers. The results indicate that very strict harvest restrictions have the effect of driving WTP to zero, while allowing at least one (potentially) large fish to be caught is valuable to anglers. The results also suggest that WTP for fishing trips with bag limits that allow two or more fish to be harvested with no size restrictions on the first fish harvested are not statistically different from the value for trips for larger bag limits or for the case where all the fish in the limit can be any size. This suggests that fishery managers can restrict the size of the second fish in a two-fish bag limit and still maintain economic values for fishing trips.     

Attitudes and perceptions influence recreational angler support for shark conservation and fisheries sustainability

Despite the perilous status of many shark populations, rallying support for their conservation has been challenging, due in part to both long held negative perceptions and desire for shark fisheries. Recreational anglers are often advocates of conservation and can act as valuable partners with resource managers in developing fisheries management and conservation strategies. However, understanding their attitudes and perceptions, particularly towards resource status and management, is essential to developing successful management strategies and predicting outcomes. As a case study for assessing the complex challenges of sustainable shark fisheries, Florida recreational anglers were surveyed to understand how attitudes and perceptions influenced their willingness to donate for shark 1) conservation and protection or 2) fisheries sustainability. Overall, recreational angler willingness to donate was 25.5%, but attitudes and perceptions helped explain dramatic divides. For instance, willingness to donate was only 6% among the subset of anglers that perceived a growing large coastal shark population as a threat to recreational fishing opportunities. Highest support for shark conservation was shown by anglers who value seeing sharks in the wild (41.4%), and even more so among individuals who occasionally target sharks while fishing recreationally (65.8%). Pervasive among anglers unwilling to donate was a perception that shark populations were increasing, and thus not in need of further protection. These findings illustrate attitudes and perceptions that challenge shark conservation and fisheries management, as well as the critical importance of engaging anglers when developing strategies that rely on the recreational angling community for support.     

A transition beyond traditional fisheries: Taiwan's experience with developing fishing tourism

Transforming fisheries into tourism has become a global trend. It arises mostly due to a decline in income generated by traditional fisheries, and fishers thus turn to seek alternatives by engaging in marine tourism activities. Taiwan has practiced this transformation policy for more than two decades, and fishing tourism has developed as a major outcome. This paper aims to investigate Taiwan's experience with developing this activity, with an emphasis on the emerging concerns it faces and anglers’ perception of trip quality and potential management measures. The results show that anglers had a general satisfaction with the service delivered by operators. However, concerns regarding sustainable development of this activity were identified, mostly involving ineffective enforcement of regulations against illegal fishing, conflicts of interest between commercial fishing and recreational fishing, lack of statistics on harvest, improper angler behavior, and competition from yachts. Lastly, management implications for sustainable fishing tourism were discussed, highlighting suggestions to alleviate the concerns, including strengthening management of the harvest, encouraging dialogue between commercial and recreational sectors, enhancing marine environmental stewardship among anglers, and improving coordination of management to create a fair and balanced environment for recreational fishing vessels and yachts.     

Saltwater sport fishing for food or income in the Northeastern US: Statistical estimates and policy implications

In the Northeast US fishery managers have attempted to control marine recreational fishing mortality through annual adjustments to the number and/or size of fish that can be kept. These measures, with a few exceptions, have generally failed to prevent recreational fishing mortality rates from exceeding annual target levels. In this study, we show that one of the reasons why keep limits may have failed is that a substantial number of anglers obtain little value from being able to keep self-caught fish. Our findings are based on a telephone survey administered to marine anglers in all of the coastal counties in the Northeast US in 2004/2005. To evaluate the importance of keeping self-caught fish, we provide estimates of the size of the marine angling population in the Northeast US that keeps fish for food or income and also for those that fish primarily for recreation and place little or no value on keeping fish. Demographic characteristics of the two groups of anglers are compared statistically and differences related to consumption of self-caught marine resources and to health warning advisories are discussed. We also estimate the size of the Northeast US angling population that relies on their self-caught marine resources as a cost-saving food source or as a supplement to household income. This information could improve the effectiveness of fisheries regulations and the ability of policy analysts to predict how anglers might be affected by proposed fishery management actions.     

Angler perceptions of California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) depredation and marine policy in Southern California

California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) off the coast of Southern California are known to damage both commercial and recreational fishing activities, causing decreases to fish catch and damage to gear. Their increasing population has intensified the potential for conflict between sea lions and anglers, likely requiring changes to current legislation. The recreational fishing community in Southern California is a valuable and largely underutilized source for information and potential solutions to management and legislative problems. This recreational fishing survey-based study conducted in 2013 utilized personal interviews, conducted in the field with recreational anglers and commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) crews in Southern California, to gather data on: (a) the occurrence and impact of sea lion depredation on the local fishing, (b) angler awareness and opinions on current legislation, and (c) the conflict between fishing activities and conservation efforts. Results show that surveyed CPFV operators and private boaters had the most conflict with sea lions and perceive them as more of a problem than anglers on piers, jetties or kayaks. The conflict was also reportedly more prevalent in San Diego County compared to the other counties surveyed (Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura). Participating CPFV operators were overwhelmingly in support of a government culling program for sea lions, while recreational angler respondents did not feel that a control program was necessary. These CPFV operators reported more money lost, and were willing to pay more for an effective deterrent device. There was also a consensus among respondents that fish catch is declining, yet anglers were unsatisfied with the effectiveness of current legislation designed to increase fish stocks. These data will provide a better understanding of California sea lion depredation in Southern California and its effect on recreational anglers in order to aid future mitigation efforts. Additionally, these results provide stakeholder feedback on local marine protected areas and other fisheries management legislation, and build a foundation for future conservation and education programs.     

Differences in perception of a newly created Marine Park in south-west Western Australia by boat-based recreational fishers and the broader community

Community acceptance of Marine Parks is widely acknowledged as being critical for success. Where community stewardship and voluntary compliance have been achieved, there are fewer issues with non-compliance of zoning regulations. Probability-based surveys that are representative of the wider community can improve understanding of community perceptions prior to and following establishment of Marine Parks. Understanding attitudes towards newly created Marine Parks among user groups provides valuable information for the design of education and engagement programs, while also creating a benchmark to compare changes over time. A survey of community perceptions and awareness regarding the recently created Ngari Capes Marine Park in south-west Western Australia was measured via a randomised telephone survey of local and non-local boat-based recreational fishers; and local residents (including non-fishers and shore/boat fishers). This survey also evaluated other recreational uses of the park and how these activities were valued, knowledge of Marine Park zones, and how information about Marine Parks was being accessed. Participation in recreational fishing within Ngari Capes was above average and a supportive attitude towards the park was apparent. Boat-based recreational fishers displayed a higher degree of concern about fishing restrictions compared to local residents, but overall were supportive of the Marine Park. Across all user groups there was low awareness of the Ngari Capes Marine Park and poor understanding of Marine Parks. A lack of clarity regarding the likely benefits of the Ngari Capes Marine Park was apparent, implying a need to improve public communication and community engagement.     

Recreational use of offshore wind farms: Experiences and opinions of sea anglers in the UK

The expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs) is likely to increase conflict with other marine users as different sectors compete for space. There may also be positive interactions, as the artificial reef effects from energy infrastructure have the potential to sustain and enhance fishing opportunities. Recreational sea angling is an important sector within the UK but the experiences and opinions of UK sea anglers with respect to OWFs have not been documented. To address this, an online survey was undertaken with recreational anglers around the UK (n=199). Respondents represented a range of socio-demographic and angling characteristics, although male, more frequent and older fishers as well as club members were over-represented compared to a 2012 national survey. One quarter of the respondents had fished around the perimeter of or within an OWF, most on multiple occasions, and 73% of those who had not expressed a willingness to do so in future. Anglers reported both positive and negative effects on catch success when fishing near or within OWFs compared to their experiences of the same site prior to OWF development. Outcomes for individual species were also mixed. Anglers recognised the potential artificial reef effects of OWFs and their role as a “safe haven”, particularly due to the exclusion of commercial fishers. Negative perceptions included restricted access, harm to marine wildlife, and visual impact. There is little evidence that OWFs will have a significant economic impact on recreational fishing, as most anglers are unlikely to change their behaviour in response to future developments.     

A survey of the South African shore-angling fishery

Roving creel surveys and aerial surveys of shore-angling were undertaken as part of a national investigation into linefishing in South Africa. Shore patrols utilized a random stratified sampling procedure to collect catch-and-effort data, and a questionnaire provided information on fishing effort, angler demographics, economics and attitudes towards current regulations. A total of 1 677 patrols, covering 19 616 km, was conducted between April 1994 and February 1996, during which period 9 523 anglers had their catches checked and 4 490 were interviewed. A further 16 497 km were covered by aerial surveys, when 22 609 anglers were counted. From the aerial surveys, angler densities were highest on the KwaZulu-Natal coast (4.65 anglers·km^?1), followed by the Southern Cape coast (2.29 anglers·km^?1), the Eastern Cape coast (0.36 anglers·km^?1) and the West Coast (0.12 anglers·km^?1). Catch rates varied from 1.5 kg·angler^?1·day^?1 on the Southern Cape coast to 0.45 kg·angler^?1·day^?1 on the KwaZulu-Natal coast. Total effort was estimated at 3.2×10⁶ angler days·year^?1 and the total catch was estimated at 4.5×10⁶ fish·year^?1 or 3 000 tons·year^?1. Targeted species varied regionally, with elf Pomatomus saltatrix (29%) being the most sought after species on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, kob Argyrosomus japonicus (18%) on the Eastern Cape coast and galjoen Dichistius capensis on the Southern Cape coast (30%) and along the West Coast (50%). The catch composition by mass was dominated by P. saltatrix on the KwaZulu-Natal coast (29%), the Eastern Cape coast (26%), and on the Southern Cape coast (56%) and by white stumpnose Rhabdosargus globiceps (40%) on the West Coast. Although anglers generally supported the regulations currently governing the linefishery, the questionnaire results showed that knowledge and compliance of them was poor. A low level of law enforcement was found, except for in KwaZulu-Natal. Management of the linefishery is discussed in relation to the findings of this study.     

Potential impacts of alternative regulatory interventions on the recreational value of angling on the Breede River estuary,South Africa

This study investigated the support for, and potential impacts of, alternative management measures to address declining fish stocks in the Breede River estuary. A survey of residents and visitors was carried out during 2011–2012. Angling was the most important attraction of the estuary, and accounted for at least R 25 million in annual expenditure in the area. The majority of recreational anglers were concerned about the status of fish stocks and felt that additional regulations were necessary. There was greatest support for banning the trolling of artificial lures, and majority support for a closed area and an upper size limit for one of the main species targeted – the dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus. The options of a night ban on fishing and a closed season received little support. Ratings of alternative scenarios suggested that anglers were more sensitive to fish abundance than to regulations. Modelled results showed that regulations resulting in increased abundance of fish, and large A. japonicus in particular, would have a positive impact on angling value of the estuary, whereas further declines in fish stocks would result in a decrease in expenditure in the area.     

Review of marine recreational fisheries regulations in Argentina

The effects of recreational fishing on marine stocks and ecosystems have raised global concern in recent years. In Argentina, Southwest Atlantic, angling, netting and spearfishing of coastal bony fishes, sharks, rays and chimaeras are very popular pastime activities with more than 50 years of history. Despite the perceived traditional and economic relevance of these activities in the country, marine recreational fisheries were largely unregulated, and no official fisheries monitoring programs at the national level have been ever put in place. Except for a few particular systems for which some catch-and-effort data were collected by research institutions and non-governmental organizations, no comprehensive surveys aimed at describing the ecological, social or economic aspects of these fisheries have been made. Here, an updated review of the regulations in place for marine recreational fisheries along the Argentine coastline is presented. Of the five coastal provinces encompassing ca. 8400 km and about 20 latitude degrees (~36°S to 55°S) of coastline, only Buenos Aires province has a thorough legislation for its whole territory, which includes 15 protected areas. In the remaining provinces, the regulations for marine recreational fisheries are limited to a few protected areas (seven out of 37 coastal areas under provincial, national or shared jurisdiction). This lack of legislation encourages alleged recreational fishers to develop small-scale commercial fishing operations that are neither controlled nor monitored as such, contributing to the overexploitation of some key coastal stocks.     

An economic comparison of the commercial and recreational linefisheries in Namibia

The most important Namibian linefish species, the silver kob Argyrosomus inodorus, is currently heavily exploited, and in order to ensure its survival catch restrictions are being introduced. However, kob are exploit ed oth by recreational anglers and by commercial vessels, and it is important to examine the economics of these fisheries in order to determine where catch restrictions will do the least harm to the economy. Data from a survey of commercial fishing vessels are compared with results from earlier surveys of recreational anglers to determine economic values and impacts from both fisheries. The economic benefits are shown to be greatest in recreational angling, less in commercial fishing by large vessels and least in commercial skiboat fishing. This sudy also shows that catch restrictions would do less harm to the economy if applied to the commercial linefishing sector rather than to recreational angling.     

Changes in recreational shore anglers’ attitudes towards,and awareness of,linefish management along the KwaZulu-Natal coast,South Africa

Management of recreational fisheries cannot be based on biological and stock assessment data alone but needs to include appropriate social aspects (including knowledge, attitudes and behaviour) of anglers within the fishery. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate and complement existing recreational fisheries research, through the analysis of demographic and psychographic angler attributes collected from two independent, shore-based snapshot monitoring surveys conducted on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coastline of South Africa, in 1994–1996 and 2009–2010. Results show significant changes between the two survey events in the demographics of anglers (including ethnic composition, age distribution, years of fishing experience and employment status) participating in the KZN shore-based linefishery. Traditional management regulations (minimum size limits, daily bag limits and closed seasons), though appearing to have support, have had limited effectiveness, based on the increased levels of admitted non-compliance and poor knowledge of regulations for target species. Anglers in both surveys believed that catches had declined over the years, with overfishing being the most common reason given. The results are discussed in the context of changing management practices in the KZN recreational shore-based linefishery. The implications of changes in fisheries management policies and responsibilities along the KZN coast are highlighted.     

An assessment of the recreational fishery in the St Lucia estuarine system,KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

St Lucia is one of the largest estuarine systems in Africa, and attracts thousands of anglers each year. Catchcard data from the National Marine Linefish System for the years 1986–1999 were analysed to determine catch composition, catch per unit effort (cpue) and seasonality of catches by recreational anglers. Because not all anglers completed catch cards, estimates of total catch were made using additional data on the number of private boat outings, the number of boat trailers at boat slipways and the number of boats recorded entering the campsite gates during 1992 and 1993. In all, 27 fish families, constituting 55 species, were recorded by recreational anglers. Dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus, spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii, perch Acanthopagrus berda, Natal stumpnose Rhabdosargus sarba, springer Elops machnata and mini-kob Johnius dorsalis were the most prominent species caught in terms of numbers and mass. Catch rates expressed numerically (fish angler^?1 h^?1) peaked during the summer and early winter. However, in terms of mass, catch rates peaked during late winter and spring, when there were increased landings of large dusky kob. Fluctuations in cpue were linked to salinity and estuary mouth conditions (i.e. mouth closure). Despite annual fluctuations in cpue, regression analysis revealed an overall downward trend for the dominant species (dusky kob and spotted grunter) and a gradual increase for stumpnose, perch and springer, but with the exception of stumpnose, these trends were not significant. Socio-economic aspects of the fishery were also investigated by conducting an independent boat-angler survey. The value of the recreational fishery, in terms of accommodation and direct angler expenditure, was estimated to be in the region of R9 million during 1992. Angler attitudes towards fishing regulations were positive and anglers generally had a good knowledge of the regulations for target species. Based on this assessment, a number of suggestions are made regarding the future management of the recreational fishery at St Lucia.     

Catch me if you can: Non-compliance of limpet protection in the Azores

Signs of changing marine ecosystems due to increasing human use of marine resources are recognised worldwide. Legislation and regulations are often at the core of fisheries management and harvesting control. However, these are ineffective without the respective compliance, often requiring an effective surveillance and enforcement in support of conservation success. Limpets are a popular seafood and traditionally collected and consumed in the Azores, Northeast Atlantic, leading to a fisheries collapse in the 1980s and the subsequent implementation of limpet protected zones (LPZs) and seasonal fishing closures. A roving creel survey was used in two islands of the Azores to assess the level of compliance with the existing regulations. Results indicate that shore-based limpet collection is mainly influenced by environmental conditions, including wave height and tide, and general temporal constraints, including time of day, day type, and season. A high level of non-compliance with spatial (i.e. about 40% of the harvesting events inside no-take zones) and temporal conservation measures was observed. Harvesting effort in the closed and open season was not significantly different. Recently new regulations for limpet harvesting were implemented in the Azores, extending recreational harvesting techniques to snorkelling but potential long-term effects are unknown. This study shows how on-site recreational fishing survey methods can assist managers to assess the level of illegal fishing and support the development of adaptive conservation strategies for vulnerable inshore species.     

Multi-regional economic impacts of recreational fisheries: Analysis of Small Sea Ranch in Gyeong-Nam Province,Korea

The economic impacts of recreational fishing in Small Sea Ranch in Gyeong-Nam (GN) province, Korea, are calculated using a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to overcome the weakness of a single-region IO model that ignores the spread effects in other provinces. First, multiplier decomposition analysis is conducted to substantiate the existence of strong economic linkages between GN and other provinces by calculating intra-regional effects, net closed-loop effects, net open-loop effects and spillover coefficients. Subsequently, the economic impacts from spending by anglers’ visits to Small Sea Ranch are computed using a 161-sector MRIO model for each of the sixteen provinces in Korea. The results show that there exist strong relationships between the economy of GN and those of the other provinces, and that only around 68% of the economic impacts of anglers’ spending on the total output in Korea accrues in GN, with the remaining impacts (32%) being accounted for in non-GN provinces. This indicates the importance of using a multi-regional framework to estimate the economic impacts of recreational fisheries for a region whose economy relies heavily on the economies of other regions.     

Designing ITQ programs for commercial recreational fishing

This paper discusses the potential for implementing individual transferable quota (ITQ) schemes in commercial recreational fisheries, focusing particularly on charter and headboat fisheries. After a brief discussion of ITQs in commercial fisheries, the paper discusses the manner in which rents get dissipated in commercial recreational fisheries. Fishing mortality in recreational fisheries is determined as a joint outcome of angler behavior and trip supply. In the recreational sector under open access conditions, there are likely to be too many vessels providing too many trips at prices that are too low. Vessel input configurations are likely to be distorted in a manner that generates excessive fishing mortality. Designing ITQs for recreational fisheries requires consideration of issues not prominent in the design of commercial fisheries. Among the most important is the manner in which angler preferences and types affect overall mortality from both landings and discards. While catch and release fisheries and pure food fish recreational fisheries are relatively easy to manage with recreational ITQs, fisheries with both angler types present difficult monitoring problems that add complexities to ITQ design. Various ways to design programs that account for both landings and discard mortalities and that generate incentives for anglers and vessel owners to reduce discard mortality are discussed.     

An economic valuation of the Namibian recreational shore-angling fishery

A roving creel survey of recreational shore-anglers in Namibia was used to determine catch and effort of line-fishing. A stratified sample of 240 anglers was surveyed to determine expenditures. Results showed that, between October 1996 and September 1997, some 8 800 anglers spent around 173 000 days angling and had direct expenditures of N$29.7 million. In all, 93% of angling took place in the West Coast Recreational Area. Some 44% of anglers were foreign visitors who contributed 55% of the expenditures. Value added to gross national income within the shore-angling fishery was N$14 million, equivalent to 3.6% of the value of the whole fisheries sector. The expenditures ultimately amounted (through a multiplier) to a gross national income of N$3 069 per angler, or N$27 million in aggregate. These amounts could be sustainable if policies to reduce fish mortality without affecting angler numbers are implemented.     

Exploring stakeholder perceptions of marine management in Bermuda

Given competing objectives vying for space in the marine environment, the island of Bermuda may be an ideal candidate for comprehensive marine spatial planning (MSP). However, faced with other pressing issues, ocean management reform has not yet received significant traction from the government, a pattern seen in many locations. Spatial planning processes often struggle during the proposal, planning, or implementation phases due to stakeholder opposition and/or government wariness to change. Conflict among stakeholders about management reform has also proven to be a deterrent to MSP application in many locations. With these obstacles in mind, a detailed stakeholder survey was conducted in Bermuda to determine awareness, attitudes and perceptions regarding ocean health, threats to ocean environments, the effectiveness of current ocean management, and possible future changes to management. How perceptions vary for different types of stakeholders and how attitudes about specific concerns relate to attitudes about management changes were examined. Overall, the results indicate a high degree of support for spatial planning and ocean zoning and a high level of concordance even among stakeholder groups that are typically assumed to have conflicting agendas. However, attitudes were not entirely homogeneous, particularly when delving into details about specific management changes. For example, commercial fishers were generally less in favor, relative to other stakeholder groups, of increasing regulations on ocean uses with the notable exception of regulations for recreational fishing. Given the results of this survey, public support is likely to be high for government action focused on ocean management reform in Bermuda.     

Each fisherman is different: Taking the environmental perception of small-scale fishermen into account to manage marine protected areas

One of the reasons for the failure of some Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is the lack of respect for their boundaries and regulations, which intensifies the need to assess the attitudes of stakeholders affected by MPAs. To this end, it is necessary to know the perception and behavior of resource users in these areas in relation to the management process. This study addressed the perception of different groups of fishermen in three MPAs that allow sustainable use of resources on the Brazilian northeastern coast. The perception analysis was based on four aspects: biodiversity conservation, flexibility and adaptability of fishermen, participation in management and opinions about the MPA. The interviewed fishermen (n=100) were classified into natives or immigrants,≥than 40 years old or <40, predominant use of selective or nonselective fishing gear and part or full time fishermen. The results showed that younger fishermen and the ones who use selective fishing gear presented a more conservation prone perception; nonselective fishermen and part-time fishermen were more flexible and adaptable to changes; and younger fishermen tended to agree more with the establishment of the MPAs. Taking these differences in perceptions among fishermen into account could serve as a basis for improvements in the management and conservation of fishing resources, besides helping predict possible future behavior due to changes in management policies.